It's a Shame About Ray: Doors' keyboardist Manzarek dies at 74

Finally “breaking on through,” The Doors’ keyboardist Ray Manzarekhas finally joined singer Jim Morrison on the other side. The 74-year-old passed away from bile duct cancer on Monday.

While popularly known as a founding member of the late-‘60s rock group along with Morrison, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore, Manzarek also possessed a lengthy music career after The Doors’ disbandment in 1973. He produced records by the California punk band X as well as the English group Echo & the Bunnymen, and he continued to perform music live, playing with the band Nite City and even his old band-mate Krieger in Manzarek-Krieger.

Watch Manzarek perform a cover of The Doors’ song “Soul Kitchen” with the band X here:

Outside of music, Manzarek also wrote several books including “Light My Fire: My Life with The Doors,” “The Poet in Exile” and “Snake Moon.”

After hearing about their friend’s death, Krieger and Densmore each commented:

Robby Krieger: “I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today. I’m just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him.”

John Densmore: “There was no keyboard player on the planet more appropriate to support Jim Morrison’s words. Ray, I felt totally in sync with you musically. It was like we were of one mind, holding down the foundation for Robby and Jim to float on top of. I will miss my musical brother.”

Manzarek is survived by his wife Dorothy, son Pablo, and grandchildren Noah, Apollo and Camille.

Watch Ray Manzarek and The Doors perform the song “Light My Fire” live here: